Alla Prima

[Linda Brandon]

I cut piece of biggish linen and tape it to heavy cardboard to take to open studio. The benefit of this is that you can decide later how you want to crop this - vertical vs. horizontal - or even move the whole subject to the left or the right. When you're under the pressure of an open studio situation it's really easy to rush the subject placement stage of the painting. If you tape the linen to cardboard and crop later, it gives you more "wiggle room".

Also, if you completely mess things up, you can throw the piece away without having gone to the bother of gluing it to a board. If it turns out to be a masterpiece then it will be on lovely linen, and you can wait until it dries and stretch or glue it. If it turns out to be somewhere in between a masterpiece and a train wreck you can stack it or roll it up and throw it in your closet.

I think there's a lot written on the Forum about gluing linen to boards, try a search. I use Demco glue.

Oh, and not to be a noodge, but I think the ear might be too small on your painting. I just noticed it.

[Holly Snyder]

Thanks a lot for the info! I'm not sure what a noodge is, but please feel free anytime

[Linda Brandon]

Originally Posted by Holly Snyder

I'm not sure what a noodge is, but please feel free anytime

You're correct to be skeptical about my use of "noodge", found in only two dictionary sources that I know of, one of which is the American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Ed., 2000.

Slang: Variant of nudge. Noun. One who persistenty pesters, annoys or complains.

[Marvin Mattelson]

Nicely done Holly. I don't like smooth panels for alla prima. Actually I don't like them for much of anything. I use Claessens SP#13 for my alla prima paintings. The paint bites beautifully. A smooth panel needs a base layer for the paint to grab onto. It's better suited for working with layers if you must use it as all.

My critique would be that the distance from the bottom of the nose to the chin looks too long. At least that's how it appears to me. On an alla prima painting the drawing really needs to be nailed before you lay on any thick paint. Great job.

[Julie Deane]

Originally Posted by Linda Brandon

You're correct to be skeptical about my use of "noodge", found in only two dictionary sources that I know of, one of which is the American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Ed., 2000.

Slang: Variant of nudge. Noun. One who persistenty pesters, annoys or complains.

It's Yiddish - ah, the wonders of American English, where many languages are incorporated into general usage.

[Jimmie Arroyo]

Holly,

Very nice results! Is this something you just felt like doing, or is there an inspiration that comes from the reference that makes you feel to do it alla prima?

Many times, I'll look at a subject and immediately it'll come to me how it should be handled, what paper to use and such. Is that a decision you make while doing oils?

[Holly Snyder]

Linda,

If you're a noodge than I'm a well-sought after artist rolling in commissions. Oh wait, that latter part is going to happen NEXT year.

Thanks Marcus, I see what you mean now. I'll work on that for new paintings.

Thanks Marvin for the info. once again.

Jimmie,

No particular inspiration. I just looked through my photoshoot to find one that had good color definition, so that there wouldn't be any confusing areas that might make it hard to complete alla prima. My overall goal here is to speed up. Things rarely click from the beginning with me, although I certainly believe they do for you as your drawings have a certain in-your-face confidence, which in addition to your excellent drawing skills makes them so successful. Usually I'll find a face/pose I like, then go looking at other artist's books for references on composition, background, coloring, etc, (kind of backwards).

Holly